The Dallas daily herald. [volume] (Dallas, Tex.) 1873-1887, 1887-07-01

kept lodging In AMI out OF MS urea
brain and dancing before his troubled
eyes.
1t was soon after lunch that still
alone in the office, no suddenly stopped
writing and stood motionless. as II half
paralyzed by some dreaded revelation.
As he gazed, spell-bound. on the
open page before him, he whispered
hoarsely:
"Ah! hero Is where 1t could DO ac-
complishcd easily enough" For with
the shrewd. accurate forecasting OF the
skilled account he had seen and instantly
! realized Just where false entry on that
clean page would enable him to wipe
out his outstanding liabilities and render
II needless to disappolnt his dear little
wife concerning the Christmas party.
Only one brief entry and the relief he
would experience.
Every nervc In his body tlngled and
thrilled. as grasping his pen he essay
ed to put in the fateful line. He paused
for an instant, angry that his hand had
twitched nervously, then with vlole mt
start and curse the pen slipped from
his nerveless fingers to the floor.
The office boy passing the closed
door at that critical moment when
John Chisholm was trying to steady
his hand, had sung out in what to the
mans quivering senses seemed
weird. gibbering voice;
''On the brink, ON the brink"
Only snatch from the chorus OF an
old song, but the poor treasurer, with
his hands clasped behind him, strobe
rapidly up and down the long Office
his mind filled with pictures crowding
and yet fast and yet faster before
his disordered imagination.
In his overweight state he seemed
to consider the deed really done.
for at last he exclaimed, "Tll take 1t
out I'll take it out; it shan't appear
against me ~ And selling the fallen
pen he stared blankly at tho last line
in the ledger, until fully realizing the
truth. he said family:
"Thank God, hadn't entered it aft
err all ~
A few moments later clerk entered
and Mr.. Chisholm started for home
saying he should not return to the
Office that day.
As Helen Chisholm. an underlined
terror at her heart, lowered about the
gerat chair into which her husband
had flung himself, pale and haggard'
implored to know what could have
happened, he burst out with kind OF
desperate determination to tell all in
breeth:
"Listen. my love, and you will I'M
derstand it ali in a moment. saw
myself as one-of those defaulters 1t
came about in this way: Because our
expenses were far in excess of our le'
Ultimate income, and because | have
been too weak to give up my own per-
sonal pleasure or to induce you to
, modify yours, / began months ago to plot
and plan some way Of escape out of the
increasing tolls Of debt and embarrass-
ment. Finally began dreaming UNI
, easily of what seemed an easy way to
elude my perplexities. Only one spuri-
/ GUS entry in the account books commit
ted to my care and the load was lifted.
, But the relief was only temporary.
, Pretty soon another false entry was
necessary to relieve fresh indebted
, ness, then third, and fourth,
until I, John Chisholm, was an embez-
zler to an amount IL became difficult to
i. manage. All at once there was a
:. breath OF suspicion-a crash-oxposrre
D separation from you, my best
/, beloyed-a felon's cell and convict's
A garb-prison labor. -Helen! Helen
4 was on the brink on the brink |!
. when somehow the mercy Of God
. saved me ~
= The passionate recital brought relief;
q then the husband and wife talked calm
a ly together for hours. But long befor Q
the lengthy conference was ended. John
!. Chisholm had tested the look of half
q revealed frmness and strength that for
A him had always lurked in the depth Of
Il bis wifes brown eyes.
Early the next morning Helen CHS
a holm called at an engraver's and coun-
!, fernandez the order she had left the
!. day before. Then she raped lightly
- ,Lo ,,,;nietor'a door and with n